NORTHEASTERN STATE (0-3, 0-3 MIAA)
at MO. SOUTHERN STATE  (2-1, 2-1 MIAA)
Saturday, September 23 -- 2 p.m.
Fred G. Hughes Stadium (Joplin, Mo.)
All-Time Series: Series Tied at 13-13 -- Last meeting was Sept. 10, 2022 in Tahlequah, Okla. (30-13 L)

TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State makes their 14th visit to Joplin on Saturday to face Missouri Southern for week four of the football season. The RiverHawks won in their last visit to Joplin with its previous three trips decided in the final quarter. 

TOP STORYLINES

1 |  Northeastern State is in search of their second consecutive victory against Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. The RiverHawks took down the Lions on Sep. 11, 2021 in a close 21-17 thriller. NSU overcame an early double-digit deficit from the first half in the winning effort, with Grant Elerick recording two passing touchdowns and catching the go-ahead score from Dashawn Williams on a trick play with 11 minutes left in the game. 

2 | For the first time this season, the RiverHawks will take the field during the afternoon after spending their first three outings of 2023 under the lights. Their next four games have 2 p.m. start times. With the exception of the President's Cup game against Central Oklahoma on Oct. 21 in Tahlequah, the remainder of NSU's schedule consists of matchups contested in the afternoon.

3 | The Lions return home for their only game inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium during the month of September. They've lost their last three in Joplin, with their most recent home victory coming in a 37-14 victory over Lincoln on Oct. 8, 2022.

4 | The head coaches for both Missouri Southern and Northeastern State coach for their alma maters. This is the second consecutive week an instance like this has happened. 

5 | This is Northeastern State's first of three visits to the Show-Me state during the 2023 campaign. The roughly two hour trip to Joplin also marks NSU's shortest of the season.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> The RiverHawks 2023 roster holds 60 student-athletes who are from Oklahoma.

>> After having just 14 upperclassmen on the roster in 2022, the RiverHawks will take the field with 35 juniors and seniors in 2023, well over double last season's total. 

>> NSU's battle with Missouri Southern is their second of five road games during the 2023 season. They opened their slate of away matchups on Sept. 9, facing Nebraska-Kearney. After facing the Lions, NSU will be in search of their third straight victory against Lincoln when they go to Jefferson City, Mo. on Oct. 7. Finally, they attempt to avenge close 2022 losses in Tahlequah when they go on the road to face Missouri Western (Oct. 28) and Washburn (Nov. 11). 

>> After three weeks, Northeastern State stands as one of the least penalized teams in the MIAA. The RiverHawks have seen 18 penalties against them so far, ranking third in the conference and in the top 50 in the nation. 

>> Jack Meservy is in his first season as the offensive coordinator for Northeastern State. Meservy has been on the football coaching staff at NSU since the start of the Eckert era in 2019. Other roles Meservy has previously held on the Northeastern State coaching staff include running backs coach, equipment manager, and assisting with the program's external communications. Meservy will still serve as wide receivers coach in 2023, marking his third season in the role.

>> In all three games this season, multiple quarterbacks have seen action for the RiverHawks. In week three's contest against Emporia State, Ben Ward received the start and logged a team-high 11 passing attempts. Grant Elerick appeared later in relief of Ward, while Sawyer Jones saw the field for most of the second half.

>> Early into the 2023 campaign, wide receiver Will Bergner has made a habit of making big plays. The sophomore from Marlow, Okla. has been involved in the team's three longest plays on the offensive end so far this season. Bergner completed a 40-yard pass to Devin Blayney on a trick play against Nebraska-Kearney during week two, while adding a 26-yard catch against the Lopers. Last week against Emporia State, Bergner caught a 39-yard pass from Sawyer Jones in the third quarter. Bergner currently leads the RiverHawks in receiving yards (111) and is second in receptions (8). 

>> Northeastern State is in its second season with defensive coordinator Mike Lucas. Lucas took over the RiverHawks' defense in August 2022, and despite being hired right before the start of the season, he guided them to their best season in years on that side of the ball. The defensive unit surrendered their fewest points per game (33.6) and rushing yards per game (206.7) since 2012 and finished in the top half of the league in passing defense (206.3 passing yards allowed per game). Prior to coming to Tahlequah, Lucas was the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State. Lucas possesses over three decades of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I college level, and was the head football coach at Southeastern Louisiana from 2007-12. 

>> Linebacker Makarios Brown led the NSU defense with 13 tackles (12 solo) while accounting for one tackle for loss in week three's action against Emporia State. In his first season with the program, Brown leads the RiverHawks with 20 tackles after three games. He also ranks second in the MIAA with 5.7 solo tackles per game. 

>> Defensive lineman Chris Lee continued his impressive start to the season last week, racking up a career-high eight tackles, while forcing a fumble and adding 1.5 tackles for loss. The 2022 All-MIAA Honorable Mention has been involved in a tackle for loss in all three games this season.

>> The RiverHawks have found solid production from Tyler Crawford in the punting game. The 2022 All-MIAA Honorable Mention currently leads the conference with four punts of 50 yards or more, while he ranks in the top five for punts inside the 20 (5) and punting average (42.8). Crawford also booted a 63-yarder against Emporia State last week, which stands as the longest punt in the MIAA so far in 2023.

ON THE AIR

Northeastern State's football games return to the air on Billy Country 96.3 FM in Tahlequah this season with Bill Huddleston on the call as "the Voice of the RiverHawks", handling play-by-play. Orry Phillips will serve as the color commentator for all home games, while Shawn Tiemann will serve as the primary road color commentator. Audio streaming is provided on GoRiverHawksGo.com under the Live tab on the homepage.

ABOUT THE LIONS
>> Missouri Southern is led by head coach Atiba Bradley in his fourth season. Bradley played for the Lions from 2002-05 and was a two-time All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection at the linebacker position. Prior to receiving the head coaching job at MSSU, Bradley spent over a decade as an assistant across the Division I and Division II levels.

>> With wins against Washburn and Nebraska-Kearney over the last two weeks, Missouri Southern has won two of their first three games across the season. It marks the second consecutive year the Lions have accomplished this. 

>> Quarterback Luke Sampson in his first season as the full-time starter for the Lions after receiving three starts near the end of 2022. The redshirt sophomore from League City, Tex. opened the year with consecutive three-touchdown performances against Northwest Missouri and Washburn, while he added another score through the air last week against Nebraska-Kearney and stayed turnover-free in the 18-13 win against the Lopers. 

>> Wide receiver Jaedon Stoshak has been one of the MIAA's top receiving threats early in the season. Stoshak is currently ranked fourth in the conference in receiving yards (275), while he has scored a touchdown in all three games this season. In 2022, he was an All-MIAA Third Team selection at wide receiver and returner, making 39 catches for 481 yards with three receiving touchdowns. 

>> The MSSU defense has been one of the league's better units across the season's first three weeks. The Lions are currently ranked fifth in the MIAA in scoring defense (22.3 PAPG), passing yards allowed (213.7 per game) and rushing yards allowed (131.7 yards per game). 

>> Defensive back Halid Djibril currently leads the conference in solo tackles per game (6.7), an average that also ranks ninth in the nation. Djibril is in his first season with the program after spending time at the Division I level with Tarleton State and Washington State.